Hollow Dreams
by Kahnartis
Summary: What happens when seven shinigami wake up to find that the world is no longer how they knew it before they were unconscious? Is everything as it seems? Only time will reveal the answers.
1. Chapter 1

**AN: I know all of my other stories have had a bit of humor, but I want to do something a little more serious. Plus, it kinda goes with the Halloween theme.**

**AN#2: I own nothing. **

Prologue

The wasn't a cloud in the picturesque sky when a group of seven shinigami came under attack.

They were just resting in a field in one of the districts. All seven were incapacitated by one hollow.

The 12th Division had registered a hollow in the third district of Rukongai, but when a team was sent to investigate, all they found were the seven unconscious shinigami.

What scared them the most was just who these shinigami were. How could one hollow defeat a that group consisted of four fukutaicho, one taicho, one third seat, and one fifth seat.

Rukia opened her eyes to see a ceiling. She had been here before to know what it was. She was in the 4th Division. There was no mistaking that white ceiling, even if something seemed off about it.

She quickly sat up and noticed that she wasn't alone.

Matsumoto Rangiku, Abarai Renji, Hisagi Shuhei, Madarame Ikkaku, Ayasegawa Yumichika, and Kuchiki Byakuya were all in the room with her.

"How'd we get here?" Renjia asked deciding to break the silence.

"We were attacked by that hollow." Yumichika answered.

"You mean that one hollow put us all in the 4th Division? Ha!" Ikkaku said.

"Well it obviously happened, otherwise, we wouldn't be here." Matsumoto added.

"But how was it able to get us all of us at once?" Hisagi asked, clearly confused.

"I do not know. I was farthest away from the enemy when it attacked, yet I can only recall one blast." Kuckiki Byakuya added.

"Well, is everyone alright?" Matsumoto asked while looking at the other six. She noticed that Kuchiki Rukia was looking a little pale. "What's wrong, Kuchiki-fukutaicho? You look like you have seen a hollow."

Rukia turned surprising blank eyes to the rest of the room. "Don't you think it is weird that everything is so silent?" She let them think on this for a moment before she spoke again. "And since when was the sky blood red?"

Rukia turned her head back toward the window beside her bed, and all the others looked out throughout it now as well.

All the could see was a blood red sky and a deserted Seireitei.

"What happened?"


	2. Chapter 2

"What happened?"

"Seireitei… Seireitei is…" Shuhei Hisagi stuttered, not believing his eyes.

"Where is everyone?" Madarame Ikkaku demanded.

Panic was starting to shine in many of the eyes of the remaining shinigami.

"Remain calm. Panicking will get us nowhere." Kuchiki Byakuya ordered. "If everyone is able, I suggest we move to a different location and see if we can figure out what is going on."

"Where will go, Kuchiki-taicho?" Ayasegawa Yumichika asked.

"The Kuchiki Estate." answered the noble.

All nod their heads in agreement and get up off their beds.

Once Kuchiki Byakuya said that the area was clear, they started to move out of the room.

As Matsumoto was exiting, she noticed that there wasn't any noise behind her. She turned around to see Kuchiki Rukia looking back out the window. "Everything will be fine, Rukia. You'll see."

Matsumoto knew it didn't sound very reassuring, but it was something that both females needed to hear. It seemed to work because the raven haired girl nodded her head before making her way to the door.

It took the group almost an hour to reach the Kuchiki Estate. As they traveled, they searched for any possible dangers lurking around, and they were also searching for any possible clues.

They found no danger, nor did they find any seemingly meaningful clues. Even more unnerving, they didn't find a single shinigami outside of their group.

They had discovered that while they sky was blood red, and Seireitei was apparently deserted, it wasn't in shambles. The streets and buildings looked untouched by the catastrophe that seemed to have come upon them.

Once inside, Kuchiki Byakuya led them to his study.

"I'll admit that I have no idea what is going on here." Hisagi said to break the silence.

"The last thing I remember is that hollow attacking us." added Ikkaku.

"Well, we know something had to have happened. Seireitei is in shambles!" Renji voiced.

"Is it, Hisagi-fukutaicho?" asked Rukia.

All give the female an inquisitive stare.

"So you noticed it as well?" Matsumoto asked.

Rukia nodded.

"Noticed what?" Ikkaku impatiently demanded.

"Seireitei is not in shambles. In fact, it is just as stable and pristine as it was before we were attacked. The only difference is the sky is red, and we are the only ones here." The Kuchiki noble explained.

"But what does that mean?" asked Hisagi.

"It means that whatever happened here happened swiftly and without a fight." Matsumoto answered, causing her to receive many dubious looks. "What? The 10th Division is known to be the investigation division."

"Doesn't mean you do all the work." Ikkaku said lightheartedly. "Or any of it."

"Why does everybody say that?" Matusmoto pouted.

"Because it's true?" suggested Yumichika.

The light atmosphere lasted through the first night in this new reality. By the time the fourth night rolled around, it was gone.

The whole group was worried over the two noble siblings.

Kuchiki Byakuya was claiming to see things and people that nobody else could see, and saying that it was like back before the attack.

Kuchiki Rukia was fretting over her only family left. She didn't want to lose him, not to death or madness.

It was getting late into the night when tragedy struck. Right before the eyes of the shinigami, Kuchiki Byakuya started to disappear.

"Nii-sama…" Rukia whispered quietly.

"I'm fine. I will be joining the others." Byakuya said as he held out his for her hold one last time.

Rukia nearly cried when her hand slipped through his, not being able to hold on. "Nii-sama."

"Be strong, Rukia." he said as the last of him faded from sight.

The unnatural silence that they had grown accustomed to the past few days seemed to hit them full force as the 6th Division taicho disappeared before their eyes.

Rukia did not cry that night, much to the surprise of the others.

Rukia did not speak another word that night, which wasn't as much of a surprise to the others.

Everyone was somber the next morning. They had all looked to Kuchiki-taicho to lead them through this because if anyone could, it would be him.

"I don't like this." Renji stated. "I'm starting to see what Kuchiki-taicho was talking about."

"What do you mean, Abarai?" asked Hisagi.

"I mean the voices and seeing people." The redhead answered.

"That's not funny." Ikkaku pointed out.

"It's rude to say something like that at a time like this, Renji. Especially in front of Rukia." Yumichika added.

Renji turned to his childhood from. "Please, Rukia. Believe me. I'm not making this up. It's honestly happening, and I cannot stop it."

There was something in his voice that struck a chord in those around him. A sincerity that wasn't usually there pleading for them to listen to him.

Rukia just nodded. "I understand, Renji. Don't worry, you won't be alone. We are here for you."

Renji smiles at that. "Thank you."

He too had disappeared by evening, leaving behind five comrades.

"What's changed in the past two days that could cause this?" Hisagi asked.

"Nothing that I can think of. I mean we have all been together this whole time." Ikkaku said.

"So then how do we stop this?" Yumichika asked.

"I don't know. None of this makes any sense." Matsumoto answered. "We were all unconscious for an unknown amount of time, and when we woke up, we were here without anyone to tell us what happened."

"You're being awfully serious, Matsumoto. Hitsugaya-taicho would be so proud of you." Said Hisagi, not paying attention to the others signaling him stop talking.

There was a soft gasp that was just barely able to be heard.

"You idiot! We were trying to get you to stop talking!" Ikkaku yelled at the spiky haired man.

"Indeed. In this world, we only have each other. Yet, before the attack, some of us had a big day coming up." Yumichika said. "I would hate to be separated from my love in such a way that I wouldn't be able to ever really know what happened to them."

The more the effeminate man spoke, the more Hisagi paled. He had forgotten that Kuchiki Rukia, fukutaicho of the 13th Division, was set to marry Hitsugaya-taicho in a couple of months. Or, at least, that would have happened if things had gone as planned.

He looked to where the two women were sitting together. Matsumoto had tears in her eyes, tears that refused to appear in Rukia's eyes.


	3. Chapter 3

_"__Something's happening with Kuchiki-taicho. Get Unohana-taicho. Now!"_

_"__Welcome back, Kuchiki-taicho. It's good to see you awake. You gave us all quite the scare."_

_"__It was a dream?"_

_"__Sometimes, coma patients can experience dreams. It's not unnatural."_

_"__I see."_

_"__I will see you in the morning, Kuchiki-taicho. Please, get some rest."_

_"__I'm afraid I have some bad news for you. It seems as though everything is not as simple as it seemed."_

_"__What are you saying?"_

_"__Abarai Renji woke up a little over an hour ago. He mentioned having the exact same dream as you, Kuchiki-taicho."_

_"__So then, it was real, after all."_

_"__It appears so. There are still five shinigami unconscious, do you think they are all experiencing the same dream?"_

_"__Yes."_

_"__I see. And what woke you up?"_

_"__I do not know. One minute I truly believed in the reality I was in, and the next minute I was starting to see pieces of this room."_

_"__Hmm. This is very unusual. You are saying that while you were in a coma, you were not?"_

_"__Yes. It was very realistic."_

_"__And the only people there were the ones you were with when you were attacked?"_

_"__Yes. There were only seven of us in the beginning."_

_"__And what happened to you when you woke up here?"_

_"__I disappeared."_

_"__Disappeared?"_

_"__Faded away. Similar to becoming spirit particles."_

_"__Was it instantaneous?"_

_"__No. It was a gradual change."_

_"__How long?"_

_"__Almost six hours."_

_"__Abarai-fukutaicho mentioned that his was only four hours long."_

_"__Then whatever brought us back wanted to be rid of quickly."_

_"__I see. And the others? How did they take your disappearance?"_

_"__I do not know. I disappeared. However, I suspect Rukia took it the worst."_

_"__I see. That must be hard to watch."_

_"__Indeed. We awoke in a world where we were the only ones left. Just when it starts to feel normal again, two of you comrades vanish."_

_"__I see."_

_"__Is that all, Unohana-taicho?"_

_"__Hitsugaya-taicho is set to return today."_

_"__Does he know?"_

_"__I don't think so." _

_"__Who is supposed to tell him?"_

_"__Ukitake-taicho." _


	4. Chapter 4

Two days have passed since Abarai Renji disappeared. The paranoia of suddenly disappearing lessened as time went by.

Kuchiki Rukia was the first to even suggest moving out of the Kuchiki Estate. While the others were hesitant to agree, Rukia was able to convince them without too much trouble.

The biggest thing to combat was the sense of security inside the walls of the estate because it was where they could forget that they were the only survivors, even if only for a short time. To move out would mean having to face that reality without and sense of security to hide behind.

They decided to move to the 9th Division barracks due to Shuhei Hisagi taking up the leadership role of the group. The shinigami could understand why he chose that spot.

It was a place where he became accustomed to taking on the leadership role after the Winter War started.

Again, a bit of a safety net, but no one was going to say anything about it, just like they didn't when Rukia asked to leave the estate.

"I'm bored." complained Ikkaku while pacing the room they were all in. "I wish we had our zanpakuto. Then, we could spar or do something."

"Worrying will cause lines to appear on your face." stated Yumichika.

"Who cares about lines? We've been cooped up in this division for almost two days! At least Kuchiki-taicho let us roam the estate." Ikkaku said, not really caring that the person he was talking about was in the room, as well.

"Think what you want, Madarame. I am doing my best to keep us all alive and together. If we are all in different places, then how will we know when someone is in trouble?" replied a calm Hisagi.

"Why can't the two of you just compromise?" Matsumoto asked speaking up for the first time since the conversation started.

"Compromise?" was the simultaneous response from the two males. It was like they had never thought even heard the word.

A heavy sigh passed the busty woman's lips. "Yes. A happy medium for both of your suggestions."

"You are wasting your time, Matsumoto. Those two are completely stubborn when they make up their mind." Yumichika said.

"Perhaps." Rukia stated as she entered the room. "Or perhaps you just don't know how to change their minds."

"And where have you been? I said that we have to stay together." asked Hisagi.

"Out." replied the female.

"I didn't create that rule for fun. What if what happened to Kuchiki-taicho and Abarai happened to you?" He knew it was harsh to bring up the two, but he was trying to make a point.

"Then I would have disappeared." answered Rukia. "But, if you can compromise with Ikkaku-san then it wouldn't be an issue."

"How so?"

"Well, you want us all together that way we will know if and when something happens. That's understandable. But we all need some time apart from each other, as well. Since there are five of us, it would be that whoever needs to just move around can grab one or two of us to tag along. Which means that there will be a group of two and a group of three at all times when we are apart. If something happens, then there will a witness and can inform the others."

All are shocked at the woman's idea. It was so simple, yet they completely overlooked it. It would the perfect compromise for the group.

"Well, I guess that settles it. I guess Rukia was able to change their minds after all." Yumichika said. "Come on, Ikkaku. You were just complaining about not getting to go anywhere, and now you aren't moving at all."

That snapped the bald man back to reality. "Shut up! I'm coming." And with that, the two men left.

"I wonder what happened while we were unconscious. I mean, why would whatever took out the rest of the shinigami leave seven alone? Seven who couldn't have defended themselves against the threat at the time." Hisagi asked aloud.

"I liked Kuchiki-taicho's idea of it catching the others unaware. He had also mentioned that there didn't appear to be any fighting." Matsumoto added in.

"That still doesn't explain why we were left alone. What was it about us that spared our lives?" he reasoned.

"I'm more curious as to why Kuchiki-taicho and Renji disappeared so suddenly." said the busty woman.

"I don't know." There was a certain weariness that appeared on the man's face in that moment. "I don't like not having the answers. And it seems impossible that we will ever find out what happened before we all woke up."

The room was quiet for nearly half an hour. Each person deep in their own thoughts.

Well, until the dark haired man let out a gasp.

"Hisagi-fukutaicho?" asked a concerned Rukia.

"I… I… saw…" he tried to answered but it seemed like he couldn't form the words.

Rukia sighed. "He's next. Whatever happened to Nii-sama and Renji is now happening to him."

Matsumoto gasped. "Are you sure?"

Rukia just nods her head. "I'll go inform the others."

Twenty minutes later, all five shinigami were in the room.

Two hours later, Shuhei Hisagi had completely disappeared.

"So, what do we do now?" Ikkaku asked later that night.

"I don't know. How do you fight something when you don't even know what it is?" Yumichika responded.

"I don't want to think about that right now. I just want to go to sleep and pretend that this is all just a dream." Matsumoto said. The disappearance of the others beginning to take its toll on the woman.

"This isn't a damn dream, Rangiku. It's reality. We've got to accept that any of us could be next." Ikkaku said, saying what was on everyone's mind.

"While that is true, that doesn't mean that we should just give up the fight. That's like surrendering to an enemy. And shinigami do not surrender." Rukia said proudly.


	5. Chapter 5

**AN: Enjoy!**

_Ukitake paced nervously in front of the gate. Hitsugaya was due to return soon, and he had been elected as the bearer of bad news._

_He was honestly worried about what the male's reaction. He wasn't given much time to think on it because the gate lit up, signaling the return of the shinigami._

_"__Ukitake. What are you doing here?"_

_Ah, straight to the point. No surprise there._

_"__Hitsugaya-taicho. I have something to tell you."_

_The teal eyed man studied the older man. His face held a solemn expression._

_"__Well?"_

_"__There was a hollow attack while you were away."_

_"__And this concerns me how?"_

_"__Seven shinigami were injured during the attacked."_

_Ukitake was stalling, and they both knew it._

_"__Who?"_

_Hitsugaya's mind was already shortening the list of people that Ukitake knew that he would care about if they were injured._

_The names he comes up with… Well, he really wants to be proven wrong for once._

_"__Matsumoto-fukutaicho and Kuchiki-fukutaicho are among the injured." _

_Before Ukitake finished his sentence, Hitsugaya disappeared as soon as he heard the names._

_Unohana-taicho was checking up on her comatose patients when she felt the reiatsu of the 10__th__ Division taicho heading her way._

_She wouldn't be able to tell the man what he wanted to hear. He would have to wait until Yamamoto-soutaicho called a meeting before he would get the whole story._

_She hadn't moved from the room that housed her patients. So, it was no surprise that there was a commotion coming from the hallway. She could clearly hear Isane's and Hitsugaya's voices above the others._

_She went to open the door, only for it to be opened from the other side._

_"__Unohana."_

_"__Hitsugaya-taicho. Please, come in." _

_Unohana watched as his eyes scanned the room. He seemed surprised at just who exactly was in the room. _

_"__Ukitake said there were seven injured." _

_"__There were."_

_"__Then why are there only five in the room?"_

_"__Two of them woke up. Kuchiki-taicho and Abarai-fukutaicho were the nes to wake up." _

_"__When?" _

_"__Yesterday and the day before. The attack happened five days ago. This will be the sixth day they have been unconscious." _

_"__What happened?" _

_"__Nobody really knows. Kuchiki-taicho and Abarai-fukutaicho only remember the start of the attack." _

_Hitsugaya could tell there was more to the story. He just didn't know what exactly was being left out. All he had to go on was what Unohana and Ukitake have told him thus far. _

_"__I see. What are you not telling me?" _

_"__Nothing that will make sense from my mouth. I'm sure the soutaicho will call for a meeting soon to discuss this attack. As you can see, it isn't exactly normal." _

_Hitsugaya just grunted in response. _

_"__I will leave you alone for a few minutes, Hitsugaya-taicho."_

_Hitsugaya waited until he couldn't even hear the gentle woman's footsteps before he made his way over to the bed that housed his fukutaicho. _

_It looked like she was just taking a nap. That made seeing her hurt worse. _

_He quickly looked away, only to look straight at Rukia's bed. _

_He moved to stand beside her bed. _

_Unlike Matsumoto, Rukia did not look like she was taking a nap. _

_Her face and body held a lot of tension. _

_He gently put his hand at the top of her forehead before he ran his fingers through the top part of her hair. _

_He noticed that she instantly relaxed. _

_It was a bittersweet moment because he knew she wasn't conscious when she responded, yet she still automatically responded to his touch. _

_Truly, seeing her hurt like hell. _

_"__Rukia." _

_It was a whisper. A whisper that carried all the emotions that he was feeling. _

_He looked at her face once more before he left the room without look back._

_Sure enough, Unohana-taicho was right. _

_Yamamoto-soutaicho had called for all taicho to be present for the meeting, and extended the invitation to Abarai-fukutaicho due to his involvement in the case. _

_"__Kurotsuchi-taicho. Your report." _

_"__Ah yes. It's really quite interesting. The hollow appeared on our radar for a very short amount of time. In fact, it wasn't even there for more than a minute. It's all very odd and very fascinating." _

_"__And the injured shinigami?" _

_"__Nothing appears to be different with their reiatsu. It's really quite the mystery." _

_"__Kuchiki-taicho. Explain to us what happened." _

_"__The seven of us were out in one of the districts when we were ambushed by the hollow. None of us had our zanpakuto, and none of us could remember finishing the fight. I figure it is temporary amnesia…"_

_"__When you say 'all of us', who are you talking about?" _

_"__The entire group that was attacked. While unconscious here, the seven of us were in a deserted Seireitei. The sky being red and us being the only ones there were the only changes to the reality we know. We traveled to the Kuchiki Estate and stayed there for four days. On the fourth, I started getting visions and hearing voices. I now know that I was simply waking up from my coma." _

_"__I see. And what is your story, Abarai-fukutaicho?"_

_"__It starts off the exact same way as Kuchiki-taicho's does. However, I was able to live past his disappearance. He literally faded away right before our eyes. The next day, I started to get the visions. It took about four hours or so, and I was awake."_

_"__How long did it take for you to wake up, Kuchiki-taicho?"_

_The 12th Division taicho thought this mystery was fascinating. He wanted all of the details. _

_"__Six hours." _

_"__Was there any danger in the reality you were in?" _

_"__No. We were the only ones in that reality." _

_"__I see. I would still like for an investigation to be done. Hitsugaya-taicho. I know there is some personal involvement in this case. Are you going to be able to be professional when it comes to this case?" _

_"__Yessir." _

_"__Good. The you are the leader of this investigation. All new information is to be sent directly to Hitsugaya-taicho. Dismissed." _

**AN: I know it seems like this is out of order, but in this timeline, Hitsugaya returned on the sixth day. In the other timeline, Byakuya disappeared on the fourth day, which means that Renji disappeared on the fifth day. Hisagi's disappearance happened two days after Renji's, meaning that it was the seventh day. That's the reason he is still unconscious in this chapter. **


	6. Chapter 6

The morning after Hisagi's disappearance, the remaining four shinigami once again decided to relocate.

This time, it was to the 11th Division barracks.

Which made sense as half of those remaining belong to that division.

"Something seems off." Ikkaku said they entered the barracks. "I thought that Zaraki-taicho threw a few people through that wall the other morning. There should still be a hole."

"What was a few mornings ago for us, might not be a few mornings ago in reality." Rukia stated.

That made the other three stop and think. It was still disconcerting to accept this new reality at times.

"Do you think we should have come 11th?" Yuichika asked.

"Why?" asked Matsumoto.

"Well, it just occurred to me that Kuchiki-taicho disappeared in his home, and Hisagi disappeared at the 9th Division. Both disappeared in places where they had a connection to that place." the effeminate man stated.

"What about Renji?" Rukia pointed out. "He disappeared in the Kuchiki Estate, yet he didn't have a real connection there."

"Maybe whatever is causing this just wanted to be rid of him?" Ikkaku supplied as a reason.

That caused some light laughter from the others.

"Well, it doesn't matter. What does matter is that we still have each other." said Matsumoto.

"That's… kinda cheesy." Yumichika stated.

The busty woman crossed her arms and turned away from the fifth seat. "Well, let's see you come up with something!"

"I'd say… Enjoy the time we still have together?"

"That's even worse than Matsumoto's! No, it should be… all that matters is the man in the heart." Ikkaku added.

"Two of us are women. So that was a failure." the woman said. "What do you think, Rukia?"

"I gave my inspirational speech last night. Really, all we have is hope. Hope that we will not be alone when we, too, disappear. If we give up hope, we have already lost to the enemy before it even attacks." the petite woman declared.

"Mou, Rukia-chan, you just gave another inspirational speech. Even after you said that you gave it last night." Matsumoto said.

"I wouldn't expect you to be so positive about this, Kuchiki." Ikkaku added.

"I agree. You have lost two people that were extremely close to you, yet you are the most positive person here right now." Yumichika stated.

Rukia didn't respond. She acted like she didn't even hear their comments. Instead, she walked away, disappearing from sight.

"Where do you think she goes?"

"Who knows? She's been disappearing since the third day. It was before Kuchiki-taicho disappeared."

"He didn't seem to mind. I wonder if he knew where she was going?"

"Am I the only one who has noticed that she doesn't sleep at night?"

"Perhaps that's why she disappears. To catch up on sleep."

"Why do you think she stays awake at night?"

"I think it has something to do with the possibility of one of us disappearing at night."

"Still, she could suggest that we take turns."

"Rukia-chan has probably already thought about that, if that is the reason."

"How would you know?"

"Because she's smart. Smarter than many of us give her credit for. There is always a reason for what she does.

"That didn't answer the question."

"Maybe she was worried that if we took shifts, then the one on shift would disappear; we would be none the wiser come morning."

"She doesn't seem too phased about being the next to disappear. It's unnerving, actually."

"I agree. She doesn't seem to question everything like we do."

"Perhaps, she has fully accepted this reality? She knows that there is a possibility for her to disappear, ad if she were to disappear, then she might be reunited with her fiancé, friends, and family."

It was mid afternoon when Rukia returned. Late that evening, she looked at Yumichika and Ikkaku before turning her head away.

A minute after that one simplistic moment, both men let out surprised gasps.

The women knew the signs. They knew what was happening. Soon, their friends would disappear. Soon, it would just be the two of them left.


	7. Chapter 7

_"__Hitsugaya-taicho. Unohana-taicho just sent word that Shuhei Hisagi just woke up. She says you can visit in an hour." _

_"__Can you tell me anything about what happened to you in the alternate reality?" _

_"__After Abarai-fukutaicho disappeared, we ended up moving to the 9th Division. The second day we were there, I started to get the symptoms. IT was after Kuchiki-fukutaicho came up with a compromise to have a group of two and three if we had to be separated. Of course, she came up with that rule after she returned from who-knows-where." _

_"__Ru—She was alone for a time?" _

_"__She had a habit of disappearing for a time each day." _

_"__I see." _

_"__And did you notice any threats?" _

_"__None. It was peaceful if you could get over the sky and the fact that it was deserted."_

_"__Very well. Thank you." _

_"__She'll be fine. She's a tough girl." _

_Hitsugaya paused in his steps before he continued walking out the door. _

_Almost 24 hours have passed since Hisagi woke up. _

_Hitsugaya-taicho was about to close up his office and head for the night when a message came that two more had gained consciousness. _

_He quickly made his way to the 4th, only to discover that both of the 11th Division shinigami were the ones the message spoke of. _

_"__Tell me what happened." _

_"__Well, this morning, we made our way to the 11th Division. Rukia disappeared for a time, and she came back before we started to disappear. We were just lounging around, when we both let out gasps at the same time. A few hours later, we woke up here." _

_"__A few hours?" _

_"__No more than 4 at max." _

_Hitsugaya nods, then turns and leaves the room. _

_"__Kurotsuchi-taicho. I need all the reports of activity since the day of the hollow attack."_

_"__Is there a reason?" _

_"__Yes."_

_"__Fine." _

_The next morning, Hitsugaya ignored the paperwork brought into his office in favor of studying the reports from the 12th Division. There were a few things bothering Hitsugaya. _

_One was that Rukia seemed to keep disappearing. _

_The second was that the time from symptoms in the other reality to the time that the shinigami wakes up seemed to lessen after every awakening._

_The third thing that bothered him was that no one knew for sure if the hollow was dead. _

_He was scanning the reports meticulously when he noticed a pattern. After about half an hour of thinking out his theory, Hitsugaya-taicho made his way to Yamamoto-soutaicho's office. _

_What he would tell the soutaicho was sure to shock the wise man. _


	8. Chapter 8

The halls of the 10th Division were eerily silent as the two shinigami focused on their mission.

All they had to do was make it to the office, and hope nothing too horrible would happen to them.

Finally, they reached the door.

"Do you want me to open the door, or do you want to do it?" asked the shorter and younger of the two.

It took a moment, but the other shinigami responded. "No, I want… no, need to do this."

After a moment of suspense, the older shinigami opened the door.

The office was just a pristine as they remembered it being. Nothing was out of place.

"It's not the same." the older shinigami said.

"I know."

"No, I mean the office isn't the same. Not anymore. Not since all this started."

"I know."

"The couch doesn't even feel the same." The older shinigami stated from their position on the couch.

"I know." replied the still standing shinigami.

"It hurts seeing the office like this."

"I know."

"Would you stop saying that?" the older shinigami yelled out in frustration. "Of all people, I expected you to be more understanding! Don't you care at all?"

"Of course I do, Matsumoto."

"Then why are you not upset?"

"I promised Toshiro that I would be strong."

Violet eyes turned toward the older woman, and for a second, Matsumoto felt like a child. There was a deep sadness in those dark eyes that one person should never have to experience.

"Rukia…"

"It was before he left on his mission." she explained. "He knew I was nervous. It was a bit of paranoia due to the wedding being a few months away."

"What were you afraid of?"

"The usual. If would change his mind, run away, say that we are too young… stuff like that."

"You know he wouldn't ever do that right?"

"I know."

This time that phrase didn't bother Matsumoto like it had minutes before. Rukia finally took a seat on the opposite end of the couch.

"So what did he do?"

"He called me an idiot."

Their laughter broke the somber mood.

"Then, he made me promise that I would stay strong while he was gone. He said that he didn't expect me to mope around all day like a certain someone he knew." This said with a glance at the other woman who pouted when she realized just who her taicho had been talking about. "But he wasn't going to take any chances."

"I never 'mope.'"

"His words, not mine."

"I never said anything when he was moping around in the office after he went to Kuchiki-taicho to talk about marrying you." While the words were said with a pout, her face held nothing but amusement.

"Ah, yes. Nii-sama was so mean. He had told me that he was going to tell him 'no' the first time he was asked." Violet eyes twinkled with mirth at the memory.

"Wait, you knew and you didn't warn taicho?" asked Matsumoto. "That's so mean, Rukia!"

"And take away Nii-sama's fun?"

"He thinks giving people heart attacks is fun?"

Rukia raised her eyebrow.

"Right, right. This is Kuchiki Byakuya we are talking about." the busty woman said while waving her hand dismissively.

"He said that he keep my room in the estate free at all times. He said I could use it if I ever needed some space from Toshiro once we moved in after the wedding."

"That's right. His gift to you was your own house. I had almost forgotten about that." Matsumoto said. "Taicho loved it."

"He would tell me that I would love it." Added Rukia. "He said that it 'held the same air as the Kuchiki Estate without all of the extra extravagance.' He said that it was the perfect blend of the two of us."

"I'm sure he meant that in more than one way." Matsumoto said while wiggling her eyebrows suggestively, causing the girl to blush.

"Rangiku!"

"What? Taicho may be serious, but he is still a man." the busty woman said in defense.

"Rangiku, this is going to sound crazy, but the other day, I thought that I felt him. That he had his fingers running through my hair." she petite woman admitted.

Matsumoto became serious. "How long ago was this?"

"It was the on the sixth day. So, the day Renji disappeared."

"Rukia, that's not possible. You were probably just thinking about him and recalled a certain memory. I know you miss him, but you said yourself that we have to accept the reality of the world we live in." Matsumoto said. She didn't want to hurt the girl, but she knew that the truth had to be said.

"I know."

"Rukia, thank you. You didn't have to bring me here today, but I am glad you did. It almost felt like old times. I kept expecting to see taicho walk through the door and yell at me to do my work."

"You're welcome, Rangiku. Tell everyone that I say that I miss them and wish I could see them again."

"I will. I am sorry to leave you like this, Rukia. We have been all the other has had for the past three days."

"Thank you, Rangiku."

And then, silence permeated the office.

"You're the lucky one, Rangiku. I wish that I could join you and the others, but there is something still holding me back. You are free, and I am bound. I know that my end will come soon enough in this world. You will have discovered by now that this world is not what it seems. You will not understand the weight of my words until it is too late. We were nothing but prisoners in this world. Forever trapped with no hope of escape. I know the truth of this world, I know the danger that no one else sensed, I know how this will end, and what's even more shocking is that I have known since the beginning. There was a reason that I spent so much time away from the group. I am to be the sacrifice for your freedom."


	9. Chapter 9

_"Yamamoto-soutaicho. I need you to call a meeting. I've solved this case."_

_"Is that so?"_

_"Yes. All taicho and the shinigami need to present."_

_"Very well. But I expect a full explination in the meeting."_

_"You will get it, but I doubt that you will like it."_

_Two hours later, all the shinigami that Hitsugaya-taicho requested were present, and the meeting could begin._

_"Hitsugaya-taicho. Tell us why you wanted this meeting."_

_"After the Madarame and Ayasegawa regained consciousness, I came to a few discoveries based off of all the information I have received. The first was that Kuchiki Rukia seemed to be disappearing for long amounts of time daily. The second thing was that the symptoms beginning in the other reality to the time each shinigami woke up here lessened. The third thing was that no one had a clear answer on if the hollow was dead."_

_"Anyone could have told you that, Hitsugaya-taicho. Ther hasn't even been a sign of the hollow since the attack."_

_"That's true. The hollow hasn't been reported since the attack."_

_"It sounds like you think the hollow has appeared since then."_

_"Because it has. Within a timeframe of the time that each shinigami began showing their symptoms, there was a small spike in energy not unlike a hollow's signature. There is a similar basis among all hollows' energy, just like there is a similar basis among shinigamis' reiatsu. Since the time it took for each individual was specific to that individual, there was no absolute pattern."_

_"Then how come none of the others were able to associate it with this particular hollow?"_

_"Because you were looking for one that matched it in strength and intensity."_

_"Just what exactly are you getting at, Hitsugaya-taicho?"_

_"A hollow that attacked and rendered seven shinigami unconscious would have spent a lot of energy doing so. It would be very easy to overlook a weak signal when searching for a strong hollow."_

_"If what you are saying is correct, then the hollow is not only alive, but it is also getting stronger?"_

_"Yes."_

_"Okay but how is that connected to the our people waking up?"_

_"Did I not say that when they started to show symptoms in that false world, that there was a spike in energy?"_

_"You did."_

_"Then it should be obvious."_

_"Enlighten us, Hitsugaya-taicho."_

_"If the hollow that attacked the group happened survived, then it would be weak. And if it were weak, it would need to regain that lost energy. The question becomes how to recover the energy that it spent ensnaring its prey. If it tried to release the ones that it spent the most energy on, then it would regain energy, yet be outnumbered. So, it can be said that the hollow is working backwards. It is releasing those that it spent little time ensnaring. That way, it can regain the energy and not be outnumbered."_

_The silence was deafening._

_"If what you are saying is true, then both your fukutaicho and future wife are in danger."_

_"But, we never sensed any danger in that reality."_

_"Because if you did, you would seek to eradicate it."_

_"So what do you suggest we do, Hitsugaya-taicho?"_

_"I don't know. We know what's going on. We know the cause. But we cannot do a damn thing about it!"_

_The temperature plummeted at the last sentence._

_"Perhaps, Hitsugaya-taicho, there is a way."_

_"Explain, Kuchiki."_

_"The time when I was most aware outside of the false reality was when someone was touching r in close proximity to me. Who says that connection cannot go both ways?"_

_"We still cannot release them from the hollow's hold."_

_"No, but we can equip them."_

_"Kurotsuchi-taicho. How long would it take you to make two specialized zanpakuto?"_

_"Two? A week. I could do one zanpakuto in a couple of days."_

_"That would mean we leave one at the mercy of a hollow."_

_"Right now, they are both at the mercy of the hollow."_

_"So the question becomes who will be the last one in that world?"_

_"Rukia."_

_"Are you sure, Hitsugaya-taicho? It has seemed like a random selection."_

_"Not if you know ALL the facts."_

_"And you do?"_

_"I told you. The hollow is working backwards. It takes more energy to capture an enemy that is away from you than one who is right in front of you. Based off the information I have received, Rukia was the one who was closest to the hollow when it attacked."_

_"Even if she is able to fight the hollow, how will she be released from the alternate reality?"_

_"Once it is dead, she should be released. Or, once the hollow is weakened beyond a certain point, then the illusion will fade."_

_"Very well. Kurotsuchi-taicho, get started on that zanpakuto. Unohana-taicho, keep an eye on the remaining two patients. Hitsugaya-taicho, rest. Dismissed."_

_Two days have passed since the meeting on the ninth day._

_"Taicho, Unohana-taicho said there is an emergeny at the 4th. She needs you there now!"_

_"Hitsugaya-taicho…"_

_"What's the emergency?"_

_"Matsumoto-fukutaicho woke up, but she is hysterical. We cannot calm her down."_

_"Let me see her."_

_"Matsumoto."_

_"Taicho! You're alive!" Matsumoto was still crying, but she calmed almost immediately at the sight of her taicho._

_"Yes."_

_"Thank goodness."_

_"Matsu—"_

_"Rukia-chan's all alone… She's had to watch all of us disappear right before her eyes."_

_"Is she… is she…?"_

_"She's staying strong. She's been the unknowing pillar of strength for many of us when we were there."_

_"Was she with you… at the…?"_

_"We were in the 10th Division office. I had asked her to bring me there when I started to get the symptoms. I was disappearing so much more rapidly than the others. I was nearly a third of the way gone by the time we got to the office. I yelled at her. One of the last memories she has of me right now is yelling at her about not caring."_

_"Why would you say that she didn't care?"_

_"Because she would just 'I know' when I told her that the office didn't feel the same."_

_"And how did she respond?"_

_"She said that she made a promise to you to be strong."_

_"Was that the last thing you two spoke about?"_

_"No, we ended up talking about your new house. She said that she misses everyone."_

_"Kurotsuchi. I need that zanpakuto. Matsumoto is awake. Rukia is alone in that world. She needs it now."_

_"Yes, yes. The hollow will not wait long to attack. Here."_

_"Be strong for just a bit longer, Rukia. Then, I will be strong enough for us both."_


	10. Chapter 10

**AN: This one is short. Like really short. I'm not good at battle scenes, but I can promise you that the next chapter will make up for this one. **

Soukyoku Hill.

The chosen battle ground between the last shinigami and the hollow who imprisoned the seven shinigami there.

"Show yourself, hollow. Let us be rid of this dream world that you have conjured. It's just me."

A roar echoed from a distance.

"You seem to be more intelligent than most hollows. The only other one I have ever encountered at was as cunning as you was Grand Fisher."

"Yes… he is indeed cunning…"

"So you can speak."

"Tell me, shinigami, why are you not afraid?"

"Because I have something to fight for. A reason to live."

"What is there to live for if you are all alone?"

"Tell me, hollow, do you notice anything different?"

"How did you know that this is a dream world?"

"I've been able to tell it was fake since the beginning. It wasn't until Shuhei Hisagi disappeared that I was finally able to realize exactly what was going on. I have known that you were behind the disappearances. And soon enough, I was able to guess the order."

"Impressive."

"The others thought that I went away to grieve. I've known that I would be here. That I would be the last. When I was here, on Soukyoku Hill during the times I disappeared, I was coming to accept that I may never see the man I love again. I was fighting better what I knew was the truth, and what my eyes were saying was the truth. I wasn't an easy battle."

"None of that matter because you will still die in the end."

"Perhaps, but should I die, I will not die alone."

"Fool! If you die then I will not be dead."

"No, I am talking about the hearts of those I carry, and the man that holds my heart in his capable hands. No, should I die here today, I will not be alone."

Rukia drew her weapon as the hollow watched her every move.

"You did not have that when I attacked."

"No, it was a gift."

"Gift?"

"From all the shinigami that you have screwed over! You will die for what you have done, hollow!"

Those were the last words spoken through the battle.

A battle that was intense and tiring.

While she had a weapon, it was still just an energized katana. The only attacks she do from a distance were lido, and even that scarce.

The hollow was fast, but in the end, Rukia was faster.

The sun was just about to set when Rukia landed the killing blow slicing the hollow's face and mask in half.

She didn't watch as the hollow turned to dust.

No, she had her eyes closed while she faced the setting sun.

One lone tear ran down her face.

"Everyone… I'm still… I'm still alone."

Once the set beyond the horizon, Rukia fell to ground, no longer conscious.

**AN: The next chapter should be up by the end of the day tomorrow.**


	11. Chapter 11

**AN: I hope this makes up for that last chapter. **

Four days after Matsumoto Rangiku regained consciousness, Rukia opened her eyes. She saw the same ceiling that had first greeted her in the dream that hollow conjured.

It was a bit unsettling to be honest. She had to turn her head to see outside the window to make sure that the sky wasn't red.

She relaxed when she saw that the sky was blue.

"Rukia. You are safe now. There is no reason to fear."

Rukia nearly got whiplash from the sped at which her head turned.

All along the wall on the other side of the room stood the others.

"Nii-sama."

"Kuchiki-taicho's right. We are all here."

"Renji."

"It's nice to see you again, Kuchiki-fukutaicho."

"Hisagi-fukutaicho."

"I knew you could do it."

"Ikkaku-san."

"Welcome back, Kuchiki Rukia."

"Yumichika-san."

"Forgive us for leaving you there for so long."

"Rangiku."

Rukia looked at each person in the room. She knew that this experience would scars of varying degrees on each, but she also know that no one was going to let that defeat them.

She gives them a small smile, and they know that everything will be back to normal with time.

"Thank you, everyone." she said sincerely.

Only Kuchiki Byakuya noticed the door opening and the added presence in the room. He watched carefully as the newcomer's eyes landed on the petite female still on the bed.

"Rukia."

All eyes snap toward the area where the voice came from. The newcomer doesn't notice. He only has eyes for the owner of those violet orbs staring into his own teal colored eyes.

"I'm sorry for taking so long to get here. I came as soon as I heard."

"Toshiro…Toshiro!" she yelled happily as she jumped off her bed and hugged the stunned man.

Hitsugaya was caught unaware by the hug, but he continued to hold onto the woman in his arms as he placed his head slightly on top of hers.

All of the observers couldn't help but smile at the sight of the couple embracing. It was out of character for them both, but due to the circumstances, they didn't expect anything less.

"I thought I had lost you and everyone else." Rukia admitted.

"I'm right here, Rukia, and I am not going anywhere."

"Promise?"

It was obvious to all of them that Rukia would be the most traumatized from this event. She had closed herself off and turned cold in that world so that she could survive the pain, and now all of those repressed emotions were coming to the surface.

"I promise, Rukia."

"I love you."

"I love you, too."

He doesn't care that he was being affectionate in front of others. All that mattered was that Rukia was safe and in his arms again. Exactly where she belongs.

A few moments later, the couple stopped embracing, but Hitsugaya wasn't letting her go. Instead, he lightly tipped her head up before gently kissing her.

That kiss meant more to her than words could describe. It conveyed everything. The longing that had been felt since he left on his mission; all of the fear, the love, the worry he felt since he returned; and the pure elation at seeing her awake.

The kiss didn't last long, but Rukia still blushed and lowered her head when she heard Matsumoto and Ikkaku whistle.

"Kuchiki." the white haired man said taking the attention off his future wife. When he was sure he had the noble's attention, he spoke again. "Reschedule the wedding."

Kuchiki Byakuya ignored the shock rolling off all those in the room. There was something in Hitsugaya's eyes that he recognized. " When do you want it?"

"By the end of the month."

"Very well. I will talk with Unohana-taicho about when Rukia can be released."

Hitsugaya noticed the small, content smile on Rukia's face. He didn't doubt that she would soon realize how little time she had left being a Kuchiki.

"Taicho! It's already halfway threw the month!" Matsumoto stated, clearly shocked at her superior's announcement.

Hitsugaya's reply was cut short as a knock sounded on the door.

A moment later, the door opened to reveal Unohana-taicho. Even she couldn't help but smile sincerely at the reunited couple. "It's good to see you awake, Kuchiki-fukutaicho. You had us worried for awhile."

"Forgive me. It was unintentional, but I am glad to be back."

"Yes, perhaps, now Hitsugaya-taicho will get some rest. If I am not mistaken, he has not rested since his return."

Violet eyes widened before narrowing. When she locked gazes with her future husband, she could see that Unohana-taicho spoke the truth. "You are an idiot, Hitsugaya!"

Renji flinched at that tone. It was awfully reminiscent of the one she used to scold Kurosaki and himself. "Oi, Rukia! Don't blame the guy." Apparently, his mouth had a mind of its own because he was most definitely not about get involved with an angry Rukia.

"Quiet, you!" she scolded.

Abarai Renji, fukutaicho of the 6th Division, gladly kept his mouth shut, too afraid of the consequences if he did not.

"What good you be to someone in need if you weren't rested up?"

"Considering it was you that was in need? I did what I had to do."

"What if you had missed some obscure detail?"

"I didn't. Besides, if I hadn't stayed up all this time, then I would have missed something."

"Eh?"

"It's true. Hitsuagaya-taicho was able to solve the mystery after he spent all night looking at the data sheets." Shuhei Hisagi stated.

"Just like that?"

"Ah." the dark haired man replied.

Rukia just let out a sigh. "It's not fair. There is just no winning against you, Toshiro."

"I know." he said.

Matsumoto let out an irritated huff at that.

Rukia giggled. She knew exactly why Matsumoto was huffing.

"Unohana-taicho. When can Rukia be released?" Hitsugaya asked, getting back to business.

"Is there something she needs to released for?"

"Her wedding."

"I thought that was…"

"It's at the end of the month."

"Of course. I will personally see to her myself." she said with a pointed look toward each male taicho in the room. "If all goes well, she can be released by the end of the week."

"Good."


	12. Chapter 12

**AN: This is the last chapter.**

Epilogue

The 10th Division taicho had gotten his wish. He was married to Rukia by the end of the month.

There were quite a few broken hearts in the academy. Apparently, he had a large female fan club there.

Matsumoto had done most of the paperwork the week before the wedding, and Hitsugaya let hr take a two week vacation after he returned to work a week after his wedding.

It has been a little more than a decade since Rukia and the others were rendered unconscious by that hollow. Even now, sometimes she would dream that waking up and everything that followed was nothing but a dream; however, every time she would wake up to reality, her husband was always there to reassure her.

Then again, it works both ways. Here are nights that a few and far between that Hisugaya Toshiro dermas of losing Rukia forever to that hollow. It's on those nights that he stays awake all night holding onto his wife.

Every year on the anniversary of the attack, the seven shinigami could be found having a picnic, courtesy of Matsumoto.

Now, as Rukia left the 4th Division, she couldn't help but smile. Ukitake-taicho had given her the day off when he saw that she was sick this morning. Now, she could visit her husband.

When she entered the 10th Divison office, she was met with an all-too familiar chest.

"Rukia, what are you doing here? Ukitake said that you were sick."

"It'll pass. Don't worry."

Teal eyes narrowed at his wife's answer. "That means you're sick. Go home and rest."

"Actually, I wanted to ask Matsumoto something."

The busty fukutaicho tried her best to jump out of her chair, but all she she succeeded in doing was tilting her chair to the side causing her to all.

"Are you okay, Rangiku?"

"Taicho! Let me go! Rukia-chan wants to speak with me!"

"What did you do to her, Toshiro?"

"I kept my promise. She is not leaving this office until her paperwork is complete, even if I have to ice her to the chair."

Rukia couldn't help but laugh.

"Hey, Matsumoto! You remember what I promised you before my wedding?" Rukia asked, her voice still laced with laughter.

"Umm…"

"About being a godmother?" Hitsugaya asked.

Rukia just nodded her head.

"Why would you be…" Hitsugaya trailed off as it all clicked in his head.

Ukitake said that she was sick the past few mornings and when he saw her sick this morning, he gave her the day off; she said her sickness will pass; she brought up Matsumoto being a godmother to their child.

Rukia's pregnant.

"You're pregnant?" It came out as a question even after he had confirmed it in his mind.

"Yes." she said with a glowing smile. "You're going to be a father, Toshiro."

And for the first time in history, Hitsugaya Toshiro, taicho of the 10th Division of the Gotei 13, fainted.

Rukia smiled warmly at the sight. Even though Hitsugaya had fainted, he had a sincere smile on face.


End file.
